Automatic gear-shifting mechanism.



A. .l. SCHOENBEIN. AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM.

I APPLICATION FILED Aue.24, 1916.

1,279,? 65 PatentrlSept. 24,1918

A. I. SCHOENBEIN.

AUTOMATIC cm smmm; MEcHAmsM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2M I916. 1,279,765. v Patented Sept. 24, 1918.-

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. 1. SIIHOENBEIN.

AUIOMATLC GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM. v I APPLICATION FILED AUG.24. I916. 1,279,765. IatentedSept. 24,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. 1. 's cuomsem. Aummmc GEAR sHmma MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-24. 1916- v Patented Sept. 24, 1918.-

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- AIIBERT J. scnomvnnm, or Pom WAYNE, INDIANA.

V Specification cr Letters Patent.

AUTOMATIC GEAB-SHIFTING MECHANISM.

Patented 'Sept. 24,1918.

. Application filed Augnit'M, 191'}. Serial No. 116,705.

To all whom it may concern: p a Beit known that I, ALBERI J. Sononrv BEIN, a citizenof the United States of Ameri a; rggidihg at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefiul, Improvements in lfiutomatic f Gear-Shifting Mechanism, of l which the following is-a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying 1o drawings. I

This invention relates to an automatic gear shifting mechanism, and the primary object of my invention is the provision of electrical means, in a manner as hereinafter 16 set forth, whereby the shiftable gears of a change speed mechanism may be easily, quickl --'and accuratel moved tofn'eutral, re verse rst, second an third speed posltlohs. Another object of my invention 18 to provideian electrical gear shifting mechanism for iiiotor vehicles-that cannotbe operated When the clutch of the vehiclejs thrown in, thereby precludingany danger of the gears ofth'e change "speed mechanism being stripped'or mutilated.

A urther object of my invention is to pro- Wide a novel selector device forthe venous operating instrumentalities of. the gear shifting mechanism-which penmts of a selected instrunientitlitj being operated and auto "UFA1sti1l further-object of'my invention is to ranc an;eut manegeer-snin inecha nism" wherein the parts are "constructed with a viewof reducing'the'costpjmanufacture andf'at. thesa rr1e. ti1ne retain the features by 3 -"whieh safety, durability, simplicity of con-' struction andease of assembling are secured. With such ends 1n. v1ew, my invention resides, in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts'to-be hereinafter "specifically described and gthen claimed.

. .vReference will'now. he h adto the drawhereinrl Figure 1 is-a longitudinal sectional view of the automatic gear shifting mechanism.

showing the same in neutral position;

Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of the same, showing the main actuating electrical devices-in section;

Fi' 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the llne III III of Fig. l; Fi 4 is a plan of direct gear shifting inem ers;

Fig. .5 is a plan of an H plate, showing a. portion'of the mechanism in neutral position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the automatic gear shift mechanism in first speed position;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a portion of the automatic gear shift mechanism in sec- 0nd speed position; F 9 is a plan of the same; Fig. 1015 a. side elevation of a portion of the automatic gear shift mechanism, showingthe mechanism in third speed Fig. 11- is a plan of the same; Fig.- 12is a side elevation of a portion of the automatic gear shift mechanism in re, verse position;

Fig. 13 is a plan'of the same;

pos t] on Fig. Mis a horizontal sectional view of the selector mechanism showing the locking devlce for the mechanism;

Fig. 15 is -a similar view of a portion of the mechanism, showing one of the push buttons or circuit controlling instrumentality in clocked position; and

Fig. 16 is a 'diagramn aticyiew illustrat. mg the selector mechanism 1n circuit with the various electrical operating devices.

In describing my invention by aid of the. views above referred to, I desire to pointout that-the san'l-e are intended asl merelyf innstrative of an example Whcrcbyfmyinvention zihay put into practicgand-f do not car-emoconfine my. inver'ition to the precise arrangement of parts.- shown. ,The following-description isIthei'e fore to: be broadlyconstrned 'as includingsuch substitute constructipns and arrangeconstrnction and ments of parts which are the, ObViOllSeQl'llValents of those to 'be he emaftcr referred to.

In the drawings, 1, p

v and 3 denote supe'rposed casin the ca'sln 1 cooperating with.

the other casings in providing an inclosure adapted for establishing rotative continuity between the engine and drive shaft. The elements 1, 4 to 13 inclusive are of the ordinary and well known type and located within the casing 2, on rods 14 are shift-able members 15 and 16 for shifting the gear wheels 12 and 11 respectively. The con- Y frontin faces of the members 15 and 16 are lower end of the o e in the recess 17 o 27. The link 27 recesset, as at 17, to receive the lower end of a main operating lever 18, said leverbeing shiftable longitudinally and transversely of the casing 2. With the lower end of the lever 18 in the recess of the member 16, said member may be moved to shift the gear wheel 11 into mesh with the gear Wheel 9 for reverse motion, or into meshwith the ear wheel 8 for first speed. By shifting the lower end of the lever 18 transversely of the casing 2 into the member'15, this member may be moved to shift the gear Wheel 12 into mesh with the gear wheel 7 for second speed, or into engagement with they clutch l3' for the third speed. The elements 14 to 17 inclusive are of a conventional type, and constitute means for shifting the gear Wheels of the change speed mechanism for neutral and reverse positions and first, second and third speeds.

The main operating lever 18 is mounted upon a reciprocable shaft 19, loose in bearings 20 and 21 forming part of the side walls One end of the shaft 19 constitutes the core of a solenoid 22, carried by the bearing 21,'and encircling the reci rocable shaftzl9, between the bearing 21 an the lever 18 is a coiled s ring 23, said spring maintaining the -sha t 19 in neutral position, ,with the rating lever 18 normally the shiftable member 16, so that should the operating lever 18 be shifted, first speed or reverse position will I be attained in connection with the change speed 1 mechanism.

Pivotally connected to one side fof',.the main operating lever, 18 above and below the shaft 19, .are selector arms 24 and 25'having hook shaped ends 26 and ether ends ceive the offset portion 29'of a solenoid arm 30, said arm extending through a slot 31 in the wall of the casing 3. he arm 30 is carried by the upper end of a core 32 forming part of a solenoid 33, said solenoidbeing mountedupon'the base of the casing 3. Encircling the core 32 is a coiled spring 34 and the expansive force of this spring holds the the inner end of '25, while the solenoid 37 isonly recess 17 of the shiftable attention to the fact that ivotf ally connected by a vertically dispose link is recessed, as at 28, to re- 'ea'ch shank. The expansive force core 32 normally raised with the hook shaped endi 26 of the selector arm 24 normally lowere The casing 3 is provided with a housing 35 for the main electrical operating devices, which are in the form of solenoids 36 and 37 arranged in parallelism with a plunger 38 between the solenoids and slidable in a hearing 39 forming part of the housing 35. The plun er 38 within the housing 35 has a cross head 40 and. connected to the ends of this cross head are the cores41" and 42 of the solenoids 36 and reference to Fig. 4 of be noted that the greater. part of the core 41 is of non-magnetic material, as brass, and the core is of soft iron, while thegreater part of the core 42 is of soft'iron and the inner end of brass or other non-magnetic material. The solenoid 36 is employed as a power solenoid for actuating one or the other of the selector arms 24 and employed for restoring the plunger 38 to nornial'position and maintaining the operating lever 18 37 respectively. By

' in neutral position.

The inner end of the plungefi 38 -has an offset head 43 ada ted for engagement with either of the hoo sha ed ends 26 ofthe selector arms 24 or 25, a so for engaging the edge of the main operating lever 18' and returning said lever in a vertical neutral position.

.Before further describing the electrical control of the mechanism, I desire to direct the casing 3 has an H plate 44 with the slot 45 suitably designated, as shown in Fig. 5. A hand rod or lever 46 may beextended through the H slot 45 of the plate 44 and over the upper end of the main operating lever 18, whereby this lever ma have the lower end thereof manuallyshif ted longitudinally or transversely of'the casing 2 tooperate the change speed mechanism.

Reference 'will now be had to Figs. 14, 15 and 16, showingthe-selector mechanism and dia devices with the circuits. between said devices and the selector mechanism. The selecto'r mechanism comprises an oblong ca'sing 47 having the front wall 4, 8 thereof provided with openings 49' for 'the shanks 50 of push buttons or switch;.instrumentalities which will be hereinafter referred to as the neutral button, reverse button, first speed button, thirdsp'eed 'button'. The shanks 50 extend into and are a coiled compression spring 53' of springs '53 retains'the buttons normally 1ethe drawings, it will grammatically the electrical. operating second speed button, and

uided by a'partition 51 in parallelism Wit the front wall 48 of the easing 47 and eachzshank has a head1orfixed washer 52*Within the casing 47 eiig;ged by 'grcling Y 88. The slidable locking late 83 eventually engagesbehind the bevc ed portion 88 of the push button and locks the pusl1.button in a circuit-making position,'with the spring 53 of the push button under compression. With one ofthe )nsh buttons locked in this manner, thesli able locking plate 83 extendsin front of the beveled portions 87 of the remaining push buttons,'with the exccption of the neutral buttonythuspreventing the reverse .and remaining speed buttons from being actuated until the other speed buttonis released. This can only be accomplished by actuating the neutral button, which has a beveled portion 88 which will shift the slidable locking plate and release the previously actuated push button. Of course, in actuating the neutral button and releasing the previously actuated button, the circuit of the previously actuated button is first broken and then the circuit of the neutral button established, whereby the mechanism will be restored to neutral position before another buttonmay be pushed.

The 'slida'ble locking plate 83 is normally pressed bya'spring 89 carried by the partition 51, consequently the locking of an ac tuated push button is automatic and before the actuated push button can be released, there mustbe a manual actuation of the neutral push button and the function of this button can only be accomplished when the clutch 63 isopeit It is believed that by reviewing the operation of the second speed button that the automatic gear fsliifting mechanism will be readily understood. As shown in Fig. 1, the selector arm-24 is'in an active position, and as shown in' Fig. 15, thethird speed button has-been actuated and is locked, therefore, before the second"speed button can be actuatedgfiit ishec'es'sary that the clutch pedal or-lcver 62 "he released to partially complete the neutral. circuitan'd 'th'en the neutral button actuated to restore the mechanism to neutral" position and unlock the remaining buttons Now, with themechani'sm in neutral position, audit is desired to obtain second speed, the second speed button is pushed inwardly and firstengages the" contact 74 thereby establishing an electric circuit which will energize the solenoid 22 and cause, the shaft 19 to be retracted. As thisshaft is retracted the spring 231s placed under tension and the main'operat-ing lever l8shifted into the,

recess17 of the member 15. A further movement of the second speed button causes the shank 50'tl1ereof to engage tlie'co'ntact establishing a circuit which energizes t solenoid 33. As the core 32 of thissolgnoid' iS'retractetPaHd the spring 34 placed under tension, the am 30 is lowered and asis'aid f arm extends inti the link 27, thd selector arms 24-and 25 are rocked upon the pivots thereof. The selector arm 24 is shifted out of the path of the head 43 and the hook shaped end 26 of the selector arm 25 placed in the path of the head 43. Next, the shank 50 of the second speed button will en age the contact 76 and establish a circuit w ich will energize the power solenoid 36. l/Vhen this solenoid is energized, the plunger 38 is shifted to move the head 43 against the hook shaped-end 26 of the selector arm 25, thereby shifting the lower end of the main operating lever 18 so that the member 15 will shift the gear wheel 12 into engagement with the gear wheel 7, thereby establishing a power transmission between the engine shaft 4 and the drive shaft 5 so as to provide second speed. Of course, the second speed button will be locked by the slidable locking plate 83 and before any change can be made in the speed mechanism, it is necessary to release the clutch pedal or lever 62 and then actuate the neutral button. This neutral button not only releases the second speed button but unlocks the remaining buttons and establishes a circuit which will energize the neutral solenoid 37, this solenoid causing the head 43 to engage the main operating lever 18 and restore it to a vertical and neutral position such as shown in Fig. 1.

When the solenoids 22 and 33 are deenergized the springs 23 and 34"restore the cores of said solenoids to normal position.

anism, a lever adapted for changmg the gears of a change s eed mechanism, an electric device adapte for laterally adjusting said lever, selector arms on said lever, an electric device adapted for shifting said arms, an electric device adapted for engaging either arm and oscillating said lever, and .an electric device adapted for restoring said lever to neutral position.

'3. In an automatic gear shifting mechanism, a lever adapted for changing the gears of a. change speed mechanism, an electric device adapted for laterally adjusting said lever, selector arms on said lever', an

electric device adapted for shifting said arms, an electric device adapted for engaging either arm and oscillating said lever, an electric device for restoring said. lever to neutral position, and selector mechanism for reverse or first speed positions, electrically said electrical devices necessitating the actuation of the last mentioned device,.afte1' actuation of either of the other elcctri'cal'd vices.

4t. In an autoi'natic gear. shifting mechanism, a lever adapted for changing the gears of a charge speed mechanism, a leterally disposed solenoid adapted for laterally shifting said lever for second and third speeds, electrically set selector arms carried by'said lever, and electrically operated means adapted for engagement with either of said arms to oscillate said lever.

5. In an automatic gear shifting mechanism, a lever adapted for changing the gears of a clumge speed mechanism, means adapted for laterally shifting said lever for second and third speeds, pivoted selector arms on: said lever, a connect-ion between the ends of said arms and electrically actuated for setting either of said ilIl'Il-S in an active position so that said lever may be oscillated, and an electrical device adapted for engagement with either of said selector arms when set, for oscillating said leverv 6. In. an automatic gear shifting mechanisui, a lever adapted, for changing the gears of a change speed mechanism, a solenoid core supporting said lever and adapted for laterally shifting said lever for second and third speeds, electrically set ivoted selector arms on saidlever, an electrical de-. vice adapted for engagement with either of said arms when set for oscillating said lever, and means forming part of the last mentioned electrical device adapted for restoring said lever to neutral position. i

7. In an aititomatic gear shifting mechanism,- a lever adapted for changing the of a change speed mechanism, a solenoid. core supporting saidjever and adapted for laterally shifting said lever for second and third iositions, means in connection with 5:1" solenoid core for maintaining said lever in. position for oscillation for either set selector arms carried by said lever, and electrically actuated means adapted for engagement with either of said selector arms to oscillate said lever fora desired position.

8.111 an automatic gear shiftin-gmechanism, gear shifting members, a lever normall engaging one of, said members and oapa lc of lateral adjustment relativeto the othermcmbeflan electrical device for laterally adjusting said lever, electrically set selector arms on said lever, and electrical means adapted for engagement with either arm to shift the arm and oscillate the lever.

9. In an automatic gear shifting mechanism, a lever adapted for changing the gears of a change speed mechanism, electrical devices for shifting said lever, and a selector mechanism for said electrical devices including an electrical neutral device and a reverse and speed devices, and means adapted for locking either of said reverse and speed devices and releasable by an actu- --ut-ion of said neutral device.

105111 an automatic gear shifting mechanismf'a lever adapted for changing the gears of a change speed mechanism, electrical devices adapted for shifting thelever, so that neutral, reverse, first, second andthird speed positions maybe obtained, selectdr mechanism for said devices, comprising in combination with a suitable source of electrical euergy,-a neutral circuit closing instrumentality adapted in conjunction with a clutch pedal to complete the circuit in conne ction with onetof said devices to restore said lever to neutral position, and other circuit closing instrumentalities adapted for circuits including the clutch ,pedaland adapted when actuated to establish single and progressive circuits whereby the other of said. electrical devices may be individually and successively energized to switch said lever to a desired position. 7

11. In an automatic gear shifting mechanism having a lever for changing gears and electrical devices for shifting said lever, a selector mechanism for said electrical devices comprising,-in combination with a suitable source of electrical energy,-a neutral circuit closing instrumentality adapted in conjunction with a clutch pedal to complete a circuit in connection with one of 'said devices to restore said lever to neutral position, other circuit closin instrumentalities adapted for circuits inc uding l-the clutch pedal and adapted when actuatedlto establish single and progressive circuits .so that the other said electrical device may be itdividually and successively energized to shift said lever to a desired position, and means adapted for locking the last mentioned instrumentalities and releasable only by an actuation of the neutral circuit .closing instrumentality.

12 In an automatic gear shifting mechanism having a lever for changing gears, and electrical devices and a suitable source of electrical energy for-shifting said lever,

a plurality of switch buttons in normally 116- open ind1vidual and progressive circuits with said electrical dBVlCBS flIld the source ofelectrical energy, one of said pushbuttons when actuated causin one of said electrical devices to restore sai lever to neutral posi-' 120 tion, and-means adapted for locking elther of the other push buttons when'actuated until the neutral push button is actuated.

13. Ina selector mechanism for. an electrically operated gear shifting mechanism associated with a change speed gear mechanism, the combination with a suitable source of electrical energy, and a clutch pedal in circuit therewith, of neutral, re

verse, first, second and third speed push 1 80 buttons adapted for completin optional circuits for the electrical gear siiftlng mechanism to operate said mechanism, the circuits of said push buttons being controlled by said clutch pedal, andmeans adapted for automatically locking either of the reverse, first, second and third speed but-tons and releasable by an actuation of the neutral push button.

14. In a selector mechanism for an electric operated gear shifting mechanism associated with a change speed gear mechanism the combination with a suitable source 0 electrical energy, of neutral, reverse, first, second and third speed push buttons in noimal open circuit with said source of elec- 

